OPP - FENTANYL WARNING

#LSN_Crime #LSN_PublicSafety

RED LAKE, ONTARIO - May 23, 2018 (LSN) The Red Lake/Ear Falls Detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are warning the public about the dangers of fentanyl and other opioids. We can confirm that fentanyl has been found in drugs locally and want to warn users that this combination can be deadly.

Although legal when prescribed by a doctor for chronic pain management, fentanyl is roughly 100 times more potent than morphine and about 40 times more potent than heroin. A lethal dose of pure fentanyl is as little as two milligrams. That's equivalent to 32 grains of table salt or seven poppy seeds. Drug dealers add illegally obtained fentanyl to other drugs they sell -- like cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone tablets -- as a cutting agent to increase their profits. That activity is also increasing the number of overdoses and deaths. Over the last five years, more than 500 people died in Ontario after knowingly or unknowingly ingesting fentanyl.

To find out more about the dangers of fentanyl and short term antidotes, we encourage everyone to visit www.facethefentanyl.ca , part of an awareness campaign supported by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

Symptoms of fentanyl exposure can include:

Difficulty walking, talking or staying awake

Blue lips or nails

Very small pupils

Cold and clammy skin

Dizziness and confusion

Extreme drowsiness

Choking, gurgling or snoring sounds

Inability to wake up, even when shaken or shouted at

Slow, weak or not breathing

Police urge citizens to safely dispose of their expired/unused medication by contacting their pharmacy. It is also important that the public report all crime and public safety threats to police.

If unknown substances are located, members of the public should take necessary precautions in handling the substance including wearing gloves and/or a mask.

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